entirety. [applause] you.ank thank you, john. thank you for that warm introduction. good evening to you all. it's an honor to be with you in front of a large group of so many americans. men and women who represent the of the leadership of the conservative movement in the united states of america. i appreciate that kind of introduction but the introduction i prefer is a little bit sure old -- shorter. a christian, a conservative, and a republican. in that order. [applause]

there's an old saying when you see a box turtle on a fence post. you know one thing for sure. he didn't get there on his own. that is certainly true of my life. family,an my faith, my my beloved wife who is with me tonight, and my fellow hoosiers, i rise to pay a gratitude to all of you. i oh so much. and to cpac. dinner, the of this inspiration and opportunities i have been given. it is good to be back at cpac. the conservative gathering in the united states of a character. administration paralyzed by ideology. and stifling our nation's economy.

the challenges we face are daunting, the challenges we must make to meet them are not. reagans ago, ronald helped birth of our movement with his iconic time for choosing speech. today, i believe we come to another time for choosing. choose to view america as a shining city on a hill that inspires the best of all mankind, or you don't. the either want america to stand by her friends and stand up. you are for limiting the power of the federal government or you're not. you're either for protecting the unborn and the religious liberty of every american, or you aren't. after winning both houses of congress, more state than ever before, electing 31 republican

governors in states like maryland and massachusetts. the american people have made their choice. are on the verge of a great american come back. i believe that because i believe in this movement. while we actually started in , in the great state of indiana. i served 12 years in the congress and i love to say if i only had 12 years left to live, i would want to live it as a member of congress.

because it was the longest 12 years of my life. [laughter] the truth is, we haven't had a government as good as our people in washington dc for some time. but it's worse today than ever before. they are almost too numerous to recount. whether it is the government takeover of health care or the internet, the unconstitutional executive amnesty. this administration's policies are shopping national vitality and threatening our prosperity. most americans understand you by't improve health care forcing everyone to buy it whether they needed or not. you cannot change the laws of this land by executive fiat and you cannot build an energy the cost ofising

electricity on working americans. it should go without saying that obama care must be repealed. the fcc ruling must be reversed. the executive action rescinded. and the epa war on american energy must and. -- must end. [applause] tonight, allow me to offer some advice. some advice to the rising generation of leaders who are gathered here and looking on from across the country. might confront the challenges we face with renewed focus. submit that 2016 could be the first foreign policy national election since 1980. administration has

reduced our army to its smallest size since 1940. the navy has fewer ships and our air force has its smallest tactical fighter force in history. history teaches you cannot reduce our military strength without provoking our enemies. weakness arouses evil. speak, it is across the world. says jobs are the answer to violent jihad. johnresident, jihadi doesn't want a job. he wants to see paradise. and i think we should help him get there as quickly as possible. [applause] and with the growing threat of homegrown terror, it's important to remember our first line of defense is the right of self-defense.

the right to ever, keep and bear arms must not be infringed on the american people. but violent jihad is not our only threat. in asia, china is massively expanding its military. thepentagon admitted that china satellite and ballistic missile technologies are rapidly approaching parity with our own. tonight, aather here new iron curtain is descending down the spine of europe. russia seeks to draw the map by force. unlike the former soviet union that respected the strength of the west, president putin supports rebels in ukraine with impunity. and if we didn't know enough , the the threat we face heritage foundation index of lists it asength

"by far the most significant security challenge facing the united dates and its allies and its interests in the middle east." our most cherished ally will come to washington dc to warn congress and the american people of the gathering storm he believes will strike his country . , trying too israel force a settlement that would have compromised israel's security. i saw firsthand the resolve and determination of this courageous leader. stands to often alone in times of great peril across the middle east.

speaker boehner was right to invite president netanyahu. cause andause our our israel's enemies are our enemies. america stands with israel. [applause] you cannot command the respect of the world when he spent years apologizing to our enemies and abandoning our friends. peopleng the american whilethe crusades refusing to cause islam and militants by name is an abdication of leadership. defense of the united states is the chief responsibility of our national government. in theerything happening world, i believe, my fellow

conservatives, i believe it is imperative that conservatives, again, embrace america's role as leader of the free world and the arsenal of democracy. [applause] i believe the time has come to dramatically increase defense spending to confront the noble unknowable and threats of this new century. no strategy or innovation, no matter how brilliant, will be sufficient to protect the american people and the sovereignty of the united dates. measures, we could revive the future combat systems of the army and the marine corps. revive the f-22. and rebuild our navy. americaand more secure is a stronger and more prosperous america. [applause]

of course, our strength begins at home. families, communities, businesses, states. second, let me suggest our movement also put the promise of federalism and state-based center of the the conservative agenda in the 21st century. as president reagan said, it's important to be reminded that "the federal government did not create the states. the states created the federal government." our states are not territorial out posts. i should know. i come from a state that works. [applause] balanceda, we have budgets and have a aaa bond rating. that is better than washington d c.

has the largest tax cut in indiana history. we have the largest voucher graham and america. -- program in america. indiana waso say the first state to withdraw from common core. we have stood without apology for the sanctity of life. the importance of marriage. the freedom of religion. it is working. unemployment has dropped from over 8% to 5.8%. 100,000 private sector jobs created and we led the nation in manufacturing jobs. graduation and test scores are up. life is winning. abortion is in decline for the fifth straight year in a row. [applause]

i didn't come here to brag on indiana. to brag just come here about indiana. i came to encourage you, each of you with the progress that is being made in indiana and other republican-led state. urge you as leaders and activists in this movement to take encouragement from the results conservative policies are achieving in states across this country. after 12 years in congress and two years as governor, i am more convinced the cure for what ails this country will come more from state capitals than it ever well from the nation's capital. [applause] put state-based innovation and reform back at the center of the national agenda. let's look to the example of republican-led states balancing budgets and crafting solutions to the most intractable problems

facing our nation. it includes getting runaway federal spending under control. when it comes to most public assistance programs, state are better equipped to innovate. manage anti-poverty programs in a fiscally responsible way. states cannot print money. iring my years in congress, never recall anyone focusing on revenue forecasts we passed a spending bill. in indiana, where we have balanced budgets, this year's budget will only be completed when we get the final revenue forecast to make sure the income meets the outcome. states are better equipped to innovate and reform those programs. traditional medicaid for all able-bodied adults and replaced it with consumer driven health care and savings accounts. [applause] we have expanded access to throughare, not

government mandates and taxes, but market-based reforms. on education, because we believe all honest work is honorable, indiana is crafting plans to be the first date in america to make career and vocational education a priority in every high school again. let's empower the states with renewed flexibility to develop positive alternatives. give each other room as a movement to try new ideas and innovate without reflexively rejecting policies that break new ground. that's wean ourselves off the idea all problems must get capital. our nation's some say the next nominee should be a governor. i am sympathetic to that view. i amidding aside, what looking for is not somebody that says, send me to washington dc

and i will run the capital the way i ran the state capital. you who served in the city, you know. it is not a state. literally or figuratively. who listening for someone says, send me there and i will make it more possible for the next person running my state to run it with more freedom and flexibility. that is the constitutional way. [applause] take back the white house and reelect a republican congress, let's make it aim to reduce the size and scope of the restoringvernment by the states the freedom, flexibility, and resources bears that the cut touche and -- is theirs under the constitution. as we strive to be the party of solutions at home and abroad, let's be relentlessly positive. i have said for years, i am a conservative i am not in a bad

mood about it. we need to be cheerful partisans. happy war years. lord knows, we need a little optimism -- warriors. . lord knows, we need a little optimism. a man walked up to me with sad eyes and a weary look. say, heach me to supported everything i stand for. he said, do you think the country is going to make it? signs ofl the telltale excessive cable television viewing. [laughter] i put my hand on his shoulder and said, of course we are going to make it. we are americans. we always make it. we always find a way. [laughter] but that man and millions like him are worried, understandably, about our country.

because of the failings of our national government. the national government does have all kinds of problems and flaws and weaknesses. america is not the american government. let's stop confusing the american government with the american people. ronald reagan said it best. we are a people with the government, not the other way around. [applause] i learned that lesson a long time ago, back when indianapolis was hosting all the living recipients of the medal of honor. we were dedicating our memorial to those great men. i was a top radio show host at the time. i had the privilege of interviewing those heroes. was born in 1928. he enlisted in the marine corps at the age of 14. determinedwas so to co

to enter combat that he stowed away to read he turned 17 at sea, a few for landing at iwo jima. the landing,wing he was crawling through a ravine with three men. two enemy hand grenades landed nearby. the teenager used his own body to cover both grenades to save his fellow marines despite injury.g he was awarded the medal of honor by president harry truman. radio show. my during the interview, we talked experiences. he spoke with humility about his extraordinary courage. i estimate question. -- asked him a question.

i said, you are part of the greatest generation. you are probably really worried about the country when you see young people these days. his continents changed.-- manner he said son, you don't have the first idea what you are talking about. laughed nervously. this was live radio. i said, why don't you enlighten me. he did. he said, let me tell you something. wewing up in the 1930's, didn't have any more sense than days.o these we wasted just as much time and party to as much as read when the time came, we stepped up because we are americans. kids these days will do the same thing. [applause]

as we say, i have been told. i did not know how right jack was until a few years later. a sunny morning in september, 2001. that day i found myself in my first term as a member of congress in capitol hill. sirens in every direction. columns of smoke billowing from the pentagon. there were lines outside every recruiting station in every city and town across this nation. jack was right. [applause] inthe years that followed, my trip to visit soldiers in i saw then and iraq,

sacrifices of the new greatest generation. who stepped up and did what needed to be done. i say with conviction, the american people today, despite all the failings of our national government, the american people are just as strong and patriotic and generous and selfless and resilient and freedom loving as they have ever been throughout the history of this nation. [applause] whonation deserves leaders believe in the american people with an unshakable faith. fate is my final point. -- faith is my final point. because we are not in this alone. the bible says, where the spirit of the lord is, there is liberty. when we hold the banner of liberty high. and take up the cause of freedom abroad at home, we make his

cause our own. we do not fight alone. let'slow conservatives, be confident and have faith. faith in america's unique responsibility and the founder's vision of limited and constitutional government. faith in the boundless capacity of the american people to craft solutions to be complex problems facing us. face in him who set this miracle of democracy on these wilderness shores. that he will fulfill his promise for this last, best hope. we have come to another time for choosing. i believe with all my heart, with your help and god's help, once again, america will choose freedom. thank you. and god bless you. [applause]